Sat Apr 19 05:32:22 UTC 2025: ## Pakistan Expels Over 80,000 Afghan Refugees Ahead of Deadline
**ISLAMABAD, April 19, 2025** – Pakistan has expelled over 80,000 Afghan nationals since the end of March, according to a senior government official. The expulsions are part of a repatriation drive launched under the Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan, with a final deadline of April 30th. Only Afghans with valid visas will be permitted to remain.
The move has been met with criticism from Afghanistan, which has condemned the action as forced deportation and rejected Pakistan’s claims linking Afghan citizens to militant attacks and crime.
Despite the ongoing repatriation, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar is set to lead a delegation to Kabul on April 20th for talks aimed at improving bilateral relations across various sectors, including security, trade, and people-to-people connections. Pakistan has established temporary centers to facilitate the transfer of expelled Afghans to the Torkham border crossing. The upcoming talks are seen as an attempt to improve relations despite the contentious issue of refugee repatriation.
First Piper 